THE HUCKSTER IMPLODES
I don't blame Mike Huckabee for taking a long shot gamble on running for President. The GOP field is pretty green when it comes to actual national leaders. McCain is an anti-leader, and Thompson and Giuliani are more national celebrities. Romney was certainly never considered an important national leader on any issue and wimped out on a run for re-election as Massachusetts governor because he would get beat.
That said though, the weak spots in Huckabee us political junkies have known about for years now appear. The bad temper, the uncurious mindset, the shallow level of experience and lack of top level people around him.
Riding an unexpected wave of popularity, the Huckabee campaign showed themselves to be the rubes they are, wading into the topic of Mormonism, when all he had to do was let Romney flail away with the press on that denomination's controversies, then attack Rush Limbaugh, and now embracing a virulently anti-Catholic minister in Texas. There may not be many Mormons at the Iowa caucuses, but you can believe there will be a ton of Catholics out Nov. 3.
(The chameleonesque Ed Rollins, of course, won't help any, just drain away Mike's funds for his own big salary.)
The sad truth is Huckabee is a big government guy, all the way through, with a lousy record on taxes, spending and school choice. He knows nothing about foreign affairs and his feeble embrace of the national sales tax was nothing more than a dodge to obfuscate his support for things like a national smoking ban.
It's nice he is pro-life, but so is everyone except Rudy.
The problem we conservatives face is that we have gone from the greatest rhetorical leader in American history, Ronald Reagan, to the tongue-tied Bush dynasty, where putting together three coherent sentences in a row is challenge. So any smoothie, like the pulpit-trained Mike Huckabee comes across as a breath of fresh air. But rather than just sounding good, or funny, or quick we need someone speaking with intelligence and care. And that's not Mike Huckabee.
That said though, the weak spots in Huckabee us political junkies have known about for years now appear. The bad temper, the uncurious mindset, the shallow level of experience and lack of top level people around him.
Riding an unexpected wave of popularity, the Huckabee campaign showed themselves to be the rubes they are, wading into the topic of Mormonism, when all he had to do was let Romney flail away with the press on that denomination's controversies, then attack Rush Limbaugh, and now embracing a virulently anti-Catholic minister in Texas. There may not be many Mormons at the Iowa caucuses, but you can believe there will be a ton of Catholics out Nov. 3.
(The chameleonesque Ed Rollins, of course, won't help any, just drain away Mike's funds for his own big salary.)
The sad truth is Huckabee is a big government guy, all the way through, with a lousy record on taxes, spending and school choice. He knows nothing about foreign affairs and his feeble embrace of the national sales tax was nothing more than a dodge to obfuscate his support for things like a national smoking ban.
It's nice he is pro-life, but so is everyone except Rudy.
The problem we conservatives face is that we have gone from the greatest rhetorical leader in American history, Ronald Reagan, to the tongue-tied Bush dynasty, where putting together three coherent sentences in a row is challenge. So any smoothie, like the pulpit-trained Mike Huckabee comes across as a breath of fresh air. But rather than just sounding good, or funny, or quick we need someone speaking with intelligence and care. And that's not Mike Huckabee.
Labels: Politics, Public Service, Republicanism
posted by frank friday at 11:28 AM
1 Comments:
Frank, GREAT piece. So who, in your estimation, is REAL Conservatives' BEST bet?
Post a Comment
<< Home